guachi Posted December 9, 1999 Share Posted December 9, 1999 Will we be seeing scenarios based on the largest air operation of WWII in the initial release or user add-ons? Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted December 9, 1999 Share Posted December 9, 1999 If you're talking about Market Garden (the operation to capture the bridge at Arnhem) I think there will be some scenarios included. If not, go ahead and make some! Hawk ------------------ Our's is not to reason "why", our's is but to do and die! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guachi Posted December 9, 1999 Author Share Posted December 9, 1999 It was kind of a trick question. The air operation that had the most men and planes in the sky at one time was not Market-Garden (as I found out on Discovery Channel just a few hours ago). It was the operation to secure the Rhine by the 17th and 6th Aireborne divisions. And I feel stupid to admit that I have now forgotten what the operation was called. Victory or something like that. It began with a 'V' Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP HEAD Posted December 9, 1999 Share Posted December 9, 1999 Operation Varisity, like Market Garden was a blood bath,very nasty. Ive read several stories from vets "no prisoners" on both sides of the fence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guachi Posted December 10, 1999 Author Share Posted December 10, 1999 Varsity. That's it. It's an operation I know virtually nothing about. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dar Posted December 10, 1999 Share Posted December 10, 1999 Varsity was the biggest one-day airborne operation of the war, involving over 3,000 transports, over 3,000 fighters, and over 20,000 troops from the American 17th and British 6th Airborne Divisions. They dropped on strategic points to support operations crossing the Rhine River near Wesel on 24.March.1945. Allied casualties were roughly 500 KIA and 1,250 WIA. However, all objectives were taken by 1400 and link up with ground forces near Wesel accomplished. Dar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Tom Posted December 10, 1999 Share Posted December 10, 1999 Market Garden was almost like Germany's Crete. After the end of WWII I am pretty sure that the Allies rethought the use of massive Airborne operations. They just aren't armed heavily enough to withstand organized and determined resistance. At Arnheim, there were 2 SS Panzer Divisions nearby, reforming after their mauling in Normandy. Indeed, these formations were very weary and depleted, yet, they were still able to decimate the British forces. Using Arborne troops for such large Tactical uses is, well, idiotic. If the land forces were closer, then the use of airborne as a support for the ground troops would have been practical. Ground forces in support of airborne fails, or almost fails every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumbo Posted December 10, 1999 Share Posted December 10, 1999 Hmm its interesting you should bring this up as the most successful Airborne ops are the ones we hear least of. I am currently reading Keegans "Book of War" in which there is a great essay by a German commander Von Schweppenburg in it he notes that the 6th Airborne was by far the most successful op of D-Day and yet it seems to get lost in the less succesful of the 101st & 82nd etc. He also had a high regard for allied Airborne ops in general. Btw this isnt an US vs UK post just noting that the successful ops seem to get less play than the less succesful, market garden vs varsity was the other example. Anyways FWIW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guachi Posted December 11, 1999 Author Share Posted December 11, 1999 I hope someone with far more knowledge than I would do a couple scenarios of either Varsity or the 6th Airborne on D-Day. No doubt we will have Market-Garden scenarios coming out of our ears and some variety would be good. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kid Posted December 14, 1999 Share Posted December 14, 1999 I know a little about Operation Varsity. It was basically another of Montergomery's overblown (this is my personal opinion of Montgomery) plans. I believe Varsity was the airborne part of the operation. The assault across the river was called Operation Plunder. The operation consisted of units by both the British 2nd and American 9th armies. The operation occurred on March 24, 1945. However, while this was supposed to be Montgomery's big glory thing as the first to cross the Rhine, two American crossings were made first. On March 7, the Lundendorf(might be spelled wrong) was captured at Remagen by the American First Army. On March 22, Patton sneaked units of his own at night across the Rhine where the established a beachead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kid Posted December 14, 1999 Share Posted December 14, 1999 P.S. I was wondering if there would be any operations in which you use 82nd Airborne units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted December 14, 1999 Share Posted December 14, 1999 Wouldn't be WW2, Western Europe without Skytroopers in action! Inevitably scenarios (I like the name Firefight for scenarios and Battles for campaigns-personal choices) will include airborne. Remember, these are small unit operations. No firefight or battle, for that matter, can encompass the entire action. Its kind of like a zoom camera. You are zooming into a piece of the bigger action. But yes, Airborne is here, Sky Warriors in action! Quite a few! Red Devils too. Firefights will cover nearly all the action from Normandy to the Eagle's Nest. They are well spread over the 11 month period from June 44 through May 45. ------------------ Wild Bill Wild Bill's Raiders Director of Scenario Design, The Gamers Net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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